Canon Powershot A640 Review

Date: November 27th 2006
Author: Gavin Stoker

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Conclusion

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4
Features	4
Ease-of-Use	4
Image Quality	4.5
Value for Money	3.5

For a UK recommended price of £330 the Canon PowerShot A640 feels like fair value, even if some will miss the style factor of the similarly priced but less flexible IXUS range. Still, despite the plastic construction the A640 isn't bad to look at – the all-black finish and metal details lend it a more 'serious' demeanour, the four AA batteries a much-needed solidity, while its controls are swift to respond and functions quick to implement. The vari-angle LCD screen, manual settings and ability to add conversion lenses – and even a waterproof housing – are a real boon for those who want to get more creative with their compositions. Pictures too, as expected from Canon, are pretty consistent, with just enough processing applied in-camera to ensure that images are immediately usable without having to delve into Photoshop (though some benefit from the application of Levels, chiefly to brighten interior shots). The Canon PowerShot A640 is, then, a reliable all-rounder that, with that 10 megapixel resolution, sets itself up as a possible back up compact for DSLR users (if they can make do with JPEG-only capture). Shame also about the lack of a built-in image stabilization of any sort; something that would have made the A640 even more compelling for the more demanding user.

PhotographyBLOG is a member of the DIWA organisation. Our test results for the Canon Powershot A640 have been submitted to DIWA for comparison with test results for different samples of the same camera model supplied by other DIWA member sites.

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